[InKunming--Yunnan] The opening ceremony of 2018 Yunnan National Costume Competition festival kicked off in Yongren county of Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture in Yunnan on March 2nd.

It took two hours to the venue, Zhiju village. Many Yi people wearing their own embroidered costumes and dancing with beautiful songs celebrate the grand festival which has lasted for more than one thousand years.

Chuxiong prefecture is rich in ethnic customs, especially Yi culture. Oriented from 666 A.D., the Yi People's costume competition festival has been held for 1,352 years. With the dazzling Yi embroidery, Yi women and men dance and sing together, presenting a lively stage, which is regarded as “the most original runway in the world”.

Not only performs in small village, the costume festival also stages on China (Beijing) International costume week in recent years to show the glamour of Yi culture to the whole world. Becoming a name card of Yongren county, the festival promotes the development of Yi embroidery, as well as the living condition of Yi people.

There were a lot of events being held during the festival this year, including national boutique exhibition, Yi embroidery exhibition, calligraphy and photography exhibition, strawberry festival, Lantern Festival activities and so on.

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(Editors: Christine, Rachel)